1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable thin image forming apparatus, which can be driven by use of a battery.
2. Related Background Art
The ink jet recording apparatus, which is widely known as an image forming apparatus, has been utilized for a printer and a copying machine, because the apparatus operates with less noise and lower running cost, and can be made compact and adaptable for color use, among some other advantages.
Also, in recent years, along with the downsizing of computers, a portable computer of note type and the like have been in wide use. Then, along with this trend, a small image forming apparatus has been designed with the principal object of providing portability.
As the requirements of an image forming apparatus for portable use, it has been particularly important that the apparatus can be held (handled) easily; the apparatus is thin so that it can be held in a bag or the like appropriately; and it should be battery driven, and easily chargeable, among some others.
To meet such requirements, it has been practiced to market as a product for portable use a thin note type printer, which is used by installing a battery charger with a battery incorporated therein.
However, in order to avoid taking a large space for storage at the time of non-use, a thin type printer of the kind is placed so as to be substantially vertical (called “vertical placement”) from the direction almost in parallel with the plane in which the flat housing of the printer is placed (called “horizontal placement”), it causes lack of stability, because the apparatus is thin. Therefore, there is a need for handling the printer carefully for the placement with a good balance or there is a need for another action such as to spread a footing member for enabling the installation area to be expanded for obtaining stability.
Also, when a battery should be charged, a source-supply cable, such as an AC adopter, is inserted into a printer main body or a charger is mounted on the printer main body. Then, it is necessary to remove the source-supply cable, which has been connected, when the apparatus is carried after electricity has been charged. The structure is not arranged appropriately to effectuate charging with ease for portable use.